Comments on: Social networking not a business http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business Distributed Action Research blog by Andy Roberts Fri, 25 May 2012 09:56:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Facebook answers green critics with data centre design disclosure (Energy) http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-111666 Facebook answers green critics with data centre design disclosure (Energy) Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:03:49 +0000 http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-111666 [...] the social network is to make energy efficient design secrets freely available, by open sourcing the information, in [...] [...] the social network is to make energy efficient design secrets freely available, by open sourcing the information, in [...]

]]> By: susan kuhn frost http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-63980 susan kuhn frost Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:20:32 +0000 http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-63980 I agree: A tool never is a business. A business is present when two parties exchange value at an agreed-upon price. The are a lot of business people using social networking tools to generate more revenue for their businesses. But you are so right that it doesn't work the other way around. It's OK to give yourself time while you are learning the ropes. But give yourself a deadline at which you will answer these questions: 1. Have I met potential customers? How many? 2. Do I have a good process to convert them to actual customers? Has it worked? 3. What is the cost of my time spent on social networking? 4. If I am going to continue, what is a reasonable, achievable goal for my social networking activities? 5. How much time, if any, should I continue to invest to achieve that goal, given all my other business development activities? Bottom Line: Start getting used to setting limits. That is a key component of "recession-proof thinking." The days in which we could wait indefinitely for uncertain results -- that is so 2008. Sigh.... I agree: A tool never is a business.

A business is present when two parties exchange value at an agreed-upon price.

The are a lot of business people using social networking tools to generate more revenue for their businesses.

But you are so right that it doesn’t work the other way around.

It’s OK to give yourself time while you are learning the ropes. But give yourself a deadline at which you will answer these questions:

1. Have I met potential customers? How many?
2. Do I have a good process to convert them to actual customers? Has it worked?
3. What is the cost of my time spent on social networking?
4. If I am going to continue, what is a reasonable, achievable goal for my social networking activities?
5. How much time, if any, should I continue to invest to achieve that goal, given all my other business development activities?

Bottom Line: Start getting used to setting limits. That is a key component of “recession-proof thinking.” The days in which we could wait indefinitely for uncertain results — that is so 2008. Sigh….

]]> By: Andy Roberts http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-26776 Andy Roberts Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:05:00 +0000 http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-26776 There have been several attempts at mashing together multiple apps to create a generic profile and 'lifestream' recently, my favourite of which is currently <a href="http://friendfeed.com/">friendfeed</a>. There have been several attempts at mashing together multiple apps to create a generic profile and ‘lifestream’ recently, my favourite of which is currently friendfeed.

]]> By: Steve Mills http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-26763 Steve Mills Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:48:33 +0000 http://distributedresearch.net/blog/2008/03/21/social-networking-not-a-business#comment-26763 Wow that picture really sums it up. It will be very interesting to see what direction the social networking phenomena takes as there are more of these networks created, and only so much attention of users to go around. Wow that picture really sums it up. It will be very interesting to see what direction the social networking phenomena takes as there are more of these networks created, and only so much attention of users to go around.

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